HIGHLAND SPRINGS – Officials reported the summer's first drowning on Saturday, which occurred at Highland Springs.

Shortly before 5 p.m. officials were called to Highlands Springs where a male subject had reportedly drowned.

Lakeport Fire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office controlled the scene, while the Northshore Dive Team was called, said dive team leader Capt. John Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said the drowning resulted from a swimming accident.

He and two other dive team members – including Keith Hoyt – responded to the scene.

Hoyt said once the team got in the water, Rodriguez found the victim – whose name and age were not available – after about 10 minutes.

The man's body was found about 75 feet offshore in about 12 to 15 feet of water, said Rodriguez.

“We had about a 5-foot visibility,” Rodriguez explained, noting that the area of the lake where they were searching had a lot of snags and thick weeds.

The team, however, had good information about where the victim had last been seen, which Rodriguez said was the key to the whole operation.

“It led us right to the victim,” he said.

Hoyt said a group of the victim's family members were at the scene, where an event was taking place.

Some good Samaritans who also were at the lake had done repeated dives in an effort to help find the man, but with no luck. Hoyt said they were very close to the location were the body ultimately was found, but the water was a little too deep and the man's body was completely covered by weeds.

Hoyst said the men were extremely upset after being unable to find the man.

He said he thanked them for what they did, which he told them was more than a lot of people would have done.

“They did the right thing,” he said.

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